Down To Our Bones
by darveycanon206
Summary: Set after Inevitable. What if Donna had decided to go work for Stu instead of coming back?
1. Chapter 1

So excited to share this second multi chapter of mine with you guys, I hope you'll like it and you'll enjoy the ride!

Set after Inevitable. Harvey broke up with Paula but, when he asked Donna to come back, she decided not to and went to work for Stu instead.

Happy reading and hit that review button because I can't wait to hear all of your thoughts!

_**Chapter One: Take Care of Her**_

Harvey rushed out of the firm right after he had found her letter.

"_Please consider this my formal resignation."_

"_Take care of yourself, Harvey."_

The moment he read those words, he saw images of their entire history flashing in front of his eyes. Their first meeting at the bar followed by their days working at the DA's office. The other time. Their first day at Pearson Hardman, together. The time they finally said those three words, but it almost broke them apart. Their kiss. And the last fight they had that afternoon.

What the hell was he doing? How did they get to that point? Harvey and Donna had made it through thick and thin together over the years and somehow, he still let an unfair ultimatum take Donna's job away from her, taking her away from him.

As soon as he had gotten out of the building, having made his way out of the lobby, he waived his arm to call the nearest cab and he quickly instructed the driver to get him to Paula's. He had to end things with her because he wanted and needed to undo Donna's decision.

Harvey was a good man and he had no intention of hurting Paula, at least not more than it was bound to happen, given the situation. Even though their break up wasn't easy, once he had stepped outside of her town house, he felt his heart weighing a thousand pounds less. He knew in his heart he had made the right choice and he was ready to get Donna back, no matter what.

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Harvey loudly knocked on her door, the number 206 on it always reminding him of all the happiness they could have had, but they - or maybe he should say he - had thrown in the wind, because following his heart had always seemed to be a terrifying thing to Harvey.

Donna opened the door, dressed in a black pair of sweatpants and a black turtleneck, barefoot. There wasn't that much of a height difference between the two of them when they were at work, her high heels usually making up for those 10 inches that stood between their eyes to align. But the sight of her that night made Harvey's heart sink a bit. Donna looked so tiny and vulnerable. Her face showing the pain and the hurt that he caused her during their heated discussion in his office. Her nose was red, as if she had just stopped crying, and her eyes were still shiny, probably filled with tears.

And all of that was his fault. Once again, his fear of losing her had caused her heart to break into a million pieces and he hated that he was the one who had broken her.

Donna lifted her gaze, reluctantly letting her eyes meet his, before she opened her mouth.

"Harvey, what are you doing here?"

He reached for the inside of his jacket, taking out the letter and ripping it up in front of her.

"I came here to give you this," Harvey handed her the torn piece of paper.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he didn't hesitate a second before answering her.

Donna grabbed the letter and, placing her hands near her waist, she took a deep breath and let the words out of her mouth, "Does she know?"

"She does. It's over," Harvey said firmly, as if trying to say that he had chosen her and not only professionally. But once again, he kept hiding his feelings deep inside his heart. He was pretty sure there must have been a special place in there with _"These are the words I left unsaid"_ written all over it.

Harvey Specter was a coward when it came to his feelings for Donna. He had been one twelve years before, when he hadn't found the courage to tell her he was not okay with her rule, and then again a couple of weeks ago, after she had kissed him, when he wanted to tell her he was in love with her but said he didn't want more instead.

And now, he was being a coward once more. Not admitting his true feelings about her, how he wanted to kiss her on that door step, just like he had twelve years prior.

Harvey only wished they could pretend that no time had passed, acting like she was still the bold and witty girl with bangs, a can of whipped cream in her hand, and he was still the cocky young lawyer who had fallen for her the moment he had laid his eyes on her.

Donna broke the silence that had had been built between them, "Are you okay?"

Harvey didn't know exactly how he was feeling – surely not okay. But he wasn't going to throw his burden on her, she didn't deserve that, not after everything he had put her through lately.

"Will you come back?" that being the only reassurance he needed to feel his heart beating again inside of his chest.

Donna's gaze travelled to the floor, as she swallowed and reached her cheek with one of her hands, wiping away a single tear.

"Harvey I-" she started, trying to find some words that maybe would have hurt him less, even if she knew that was nearly impossible. "I'm not coming back to the firm."

Harvey's eyes widened, roaming her face, looking for an explanation, for a reason why she was giving everything up.

"What? Donna I- I came back, I fixed it," he was stumbling on every word, still unsure whether he had heard her correctly or not.

"Harvey, don't get me wrong, I appreciate what you did for me and I really hope you're okay, but-"

Harvey interrupted her before she could finish her sentence, "But what, Donna?"

"But I need to do this, for me. I am going to work for Stu."

Harvey's mouth was wide open, yet no words were coming out. Donna was leaving him, again.

Seeing that he wasn't going to say anything, Donna kept talking, trying to explain it even further, "I am not planning on cutting you out of my life, Harvey, but for once, I need to put myself first. I hope you can understand why I need to do this."

Harvey was looking deep into her eyes and it suddenly hit him all at once. He cared about Donna, he loved her, even if he couldn't say that out loud, and he knew he had to respect her decision. That was the only way they could move on without hurting each other even more.

"I do understand, Donna," He smiled at her before turning around, heading for the elevator.

"Harvey," she called him, before he could disappear behind the corner.

Harvey turned around again, facing her and doing everything in his power to hold back the tears that were forming in his eyes.

"Thank you," Donna said gently, nodding to him before closing the door, leaving him alone in her hallway.

After twelve years, Harvey and Donna were no longer working together.

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As soon as Donna closed her door, leaving Harvey behind it, she grabbed her phone from the small table in her hall.

She hadn't really thought about what she wanted to do next, probably because the idea of her resignation still had to sink in. Donna had thought her only wish would be to stay at the firm, but the moment Harvey showed up at her door, she knew she couldn't go back.

Donna had feelings for Harvey, she had no doubt about it. She lied and told him she hadn't felt anything when she kissed him to protect herself, to protect their relationship, but she just couldn't lie to herself anymore.

Since the first moment they met, she had always felt a knot in her stomach when she was around Harvey, the kind of feeling you experience when you're twenty-one, with your first love. But one thing was sure, they were not twenty-one anymore and life had thrown so many obstacles in their way. With time, she had learned to keep herself in check around him, and to bottle up her feelings, perfectly.

However, since the moment their lips had finally reconnected, her willpower seemed to have gone away. She started feeling insecure and nervous around him, and the knot in her stomach only grew tighter.

Donna knew she needed to distance herself from him to get over the mess and the pain their action had created, and her heart told her those exact same word when Harvey had asked her to come back to work with him.

It was not like she was shutting the door on the firm forever. This new job could be temporary, she would probably get back to kicking ass as the greatest COO New York City had ever seen in no time. But right now, she just wasn't ready.

She dialed Stu's number in a hurry, hoping his proposal still stood. Otherwise she would have to explain to Harvey why she had lied to him about her future work plans, and that was the last thing their relationship needed, another lie to cover all the ones they had already said to each other.

"Hey Stu, it's Donna," she said as she heard him picking up the phone.

"Donna! What a pleasure to hear from you" Stu always sounded thrilled when he spoke to her, deep down she had always thought he was a Donna fan too.

"I just called you to ask if that job offer was still on the table."

"Woah, you're really saying yes to working with me?" The man sounded more excited than ever, a feeling Donna could not relate to at the moment.

"I guess I am" she softly replied, faking some enthusiasm of her own in order to cheer up Stu on the other end of the phone.

"That's great Donna! I'll see you tomorrow at the firm then."

A puzzled expression formed on the redhead's face. Did Stu really just say "the firm" or was her mind playing tricks with her now?

"What? The firm?" Donna asked, slightly confused. Maybe even more than slightly.

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, we are back on the 46th floor," Stu started explaining, "The building was better, and the employees seemed to like it more when we were there. Also, we love being surrounded by people we can trust" he was clearly referring to the people working at Specter Litt - after all, he had become part of their work family too.

Not hearing anything from her end of the phone anymore, Stu tried to figure out if their new location would cause her any trouble. "Is it going to be a problem for you? I know quitting working with Harvey must have been – "

Donna cut him off immediately, "It's going to be fine. See you tomorrow, Stu" and she hung up the phone.

She was going to start a new job, in the same building she had been working for twelve years, where she was going to see Harvey every day. Fate might have worked in mysterious ways, but one thing was for sure, it wasn't going to let Harvey and Donna be away from each other any time soon.

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.

.

The next morning, Donna decided to get to work extra early, hoping she wouldn't have to meet Harvey on her way to her new work place.

Of course, that must have been the only morning in twelve years when he had decided to get in before seven thirty too. She, more than anyone else, should have seen it coming. Every time Harvey was hurting, he drowned himself in work, hoping it would help mend his wounds.

Donna spotted him coming towards the elevators and, as soon as their eyes met, she greeted him, trying to suppress the tension filling the air, "Good morning, Harvey."

"Good morning, Donna" he replied, clearing his throat in the process.

When they heard the elevator's ding, Harvey and Donna both stepped inside. She stood in front of the metal door while Harvey went straight to lean on the wall, right behind her.

The ride was filled with awkward silence, neither of them willing to give the other any kind of small talk. The words Donna had said the night before were still heavy on Harvey's mind and she knew it. And to be honest, she also could understand it, she would have acted the same if the situation had been reversed.

Once they were almost halfway to the 46th floor, Donna sensed Harvey shifting his position behind her. She didn't dare to move, let alone turn around to face him.

She could feel he was getting closer to her, his breath itching on her red hair more and more.

When Donna felt his hand a mere inch from her back, she closed her eyes and swallowed, feeling her heart racing inside her chest.

She tried to take a deep breath, but, before she knew it, the elevator dinged on the 46th floor and Donna felt Harvey distance himself from her once again.

Donna didn't want to look at his face yet, seeing she still had to recover from another one of their countless "almost" moments.

"I- Have a good day, Harvey," Donna mumbled before rushing out of the elevator to start her first day in her new job.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Harvey leaned his head on the metal wall behind him, closing in a fist the hand that had come so close to touching her five seconds before.

There were only four floors between them, but at the moment Harvey felt like she had built a wall higher than The Great Wall of China. And it didn't matter what he had been telling himself since the day he had become a lawyer, this time Harvey didn't seem to be able to break the goddamn thing down.

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.

Donna was met by a very excited Stu two steps into her new workplace. He was ready to give her a tour of the place, showing her how amazing her new job was going to be.

While Stu was showing her around, Donna couldn't help but feel all the eyes on her. There was a moment in her life, and career, when she would have appreciated being in the spotlight, since Donna surely wasn't a timid woman, but that morning, it felt different.

Donna had the sensation that people around her were judging her, for her look, for her walk, thinking she was the new attractive woman who had probably been brought in because the boss wanted to have his way with her.

It was not like Donna wasn't accustomed to those kinds of comments. She had had to deal with those remarks for twelve years, being Harvey's secretary and, even more so, when he promoted her to COO. Yet that day, they seemed to affect her more than she'd like to admit. Probably because Donna could somehow understand the rumors when they were about her and Harvey. Not because she thought all Harvey wanted from her was sex, but because Donna was aware of the deep connection that had been running between them since the first moment they shook hands and she knew everyone noticed it throughout the years.

With this new job, though, she couldn't make sense of it. And she surely wasn't ready to go back to the start, being judged only by her appearance and not for her skills and her competence.

Stu brought her back to reality as they stood in front of her new office, "So, what do you think?"

Donna looked around, noticing he had given her one of the biggest offices they had and that it was right next to his.

"It's- it's great" Wow, was that the only word she could come up with to thank the man who had believed in her when the one she had thought for twelve years might be the love of her life gave up on her? Great.

"I thought it would be nice to work side by side, to make sure you know I'll always be here to help you," Stu gave her a smile, while placing his hand on her back.

Donna gulped at the contact. He was touching her on the exact same spot Harvey had brushed up against in the elevator an hour before.

"It's gre-" she stopped herself – not again with that word, Donna – "Thank you, Stu."

But the truth was, it wasn't great. Harvey had been the first one to give her an office all for herself and, even though Donna knew she had earned her promotion, it still didn't feel right in her heart to be next door to another man.

In a new position. Away from him.

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Harvey had been at the height of his nerves the entire morning, but he reached his peak the moment Rachel entered his office.

"Goddammit," he said while throwing some files he had been working on off his desk

Rachel was shocked at the sight in front of her. She was sure those first days without Donna around would be tough for Harvey, but she didn't think he would get so angry the first morning back already.

"Ehm, is everything okay, Harvey?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry Rachel. I was supposed to have these documents signed by Miller an hour ago, but the associate I asked to help me brought them back late and signed by Davis," he sighed before continuing, "It's just, these are the kind of things…" He couldn't say it out loud.

"The kind of things Donna would take care of?" Rachel said it for him.

"Yeah" Harvey got up from his desk to collect the papers he had thrown on the floor.

"I could help you with it," he heard the brunette say.

Before Harvey could get back to her, Mike entered his friend's office, "No Rachel, you won't."

"Mike…" she tried to stop her fiancé, but to no avail.

"No, you're not doing this again. You're a lawyer now, not a paralegal anymore and surely not an assistant. I know you don't want me to fight your battles for you, but could you just give me and Harvey a minute?"

"Okay… I'll be in my office if you need anything," Rachel replied, before walking out of Harvey's office and leaving the two of them alone.

"Harvey, you need to deal with Donna leaving the right way this time."

Harvey turned around, facing the New York skyline, "Mike, please, don't."

"No, Harvey. You can deny what's happening all you want, but I am not letting you drag Rachel into this, not again" Mike sounded angry and protective and Harvey understood him. He would have done the same for the woman he loved, the same for Donna.

"I won't, I promise. I will deal with this, I just need some time," he took a deep breath, reaching for the glass of scotch that was placed on his desk, "It's harder knowing she's only four floors below us."

"I know, but it will get easier," Mike said, as Harvey turned to face him, giving him a nod.

The young lawyer smiled at his mentor and left his office to go back to some real work.

Harvey went back to looking outside of his glass walls while sipping the amber liquid. He suddenly remembered that time Donna had caught him staring outside, right after Jessica told them she was stepping down. It had been one of the only times he held her hand, but only one of the countless moments he had been sure Donna was the most important person in his life.

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Since Rachel had sensed a lot of tension in Harvey's office today and she was sure Donna must have been feeling the same, the brunette had asked her best friend for drinks after work, and Donna gladly accepted, needing to switch her mind off, even for just an hour.

They had decided to go to a small but classy bar right across the road from the firm, since they were both too exhausted by their work day to go someplace farther.

Rachel was thrilled they could go back to being Harriet Specter and Michelle Ross after such a long time. But as soon as they had sat on their table, she sensed something was off with Donna.

"How are you?" Rachel simply asked, not wanting to push the matter too far, not yet.

"I'm fine," Donna simply fired back.

Her best friend arched her brow in response, making her understand she might have been Donna, but Rachel could read her too.

"I've been better," Donna said while sipping on her glass of red wine, "But I've also been worse."

Maybe it was that third drink streaming in her veins, or maybe Rachel was in the mood to be blunt that night, but she cut straight to the point, "What happened between you and Harvey?"

Donna emptied her glass before gathering up the courage to tell her best friend the truth, "I kissed him."

Rachel's eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open, "What?! When?"

"It was after Malik and he was still with Paula. But I needed to know…" her hazel eyes trailed to the floor in the process.

"Know if you had feelings for him?"

"Yes…"

"And… do you?" Rachel asked, trying to take the words out of Donna's mouth, words that Rachel knew her friend wasn't going to say without a little push.

"It's complicated" That might have been the understatement of the century.

"Donna, it's me."

Donna shifted her gaze once more, only to meet Rachel's eyes, "I guess I do have feelings for him. But it doesn't matter anyway, because he didn't even have the balls to put me first when it came to my career, something he knows I've worked my entire life for."

"Wait a second, didn't he want to bring you back?" Rachel was very confused at the moment.

"Yeah Rach, he did. But, of course, I had to resign first. Because I have been the one to take all the steps in our relationship and Harvey has always been the one to react to them. And I am tired of that. So, I decided to do something for myself, once."

Finally being able to let it all out of her system helped Donna, but saying those words out loud also cut her deeper than a knife.

"I get that," Rachel smiled softly at her friend, reaching for her hand, "Just know that I'm here and whatever happens in your life, good or bad, you can always come to me."

Donna squeezed Rachel's hand in return and smiled back at her, "I know."

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Harvey had decided to stay in late that evening, trying to get back on track with all the work he had left behind that day.

It was half past ten when he got outside of the elevator, running into Stu in the hall, who was probably heading back home too.

"Harvey," he greeted him as soon as he spotted him.

"Stu, how are you?"

"I'm good, what about you?" Stu knew Harvey was the one who had asked him to offer Donna a job, but he was sure it must have been hard for him anyway, the affection the man had for her was unlike anything else he'd ever seen.

"I'm fine too, thanks," Harvey quickly replied. He wasn't in the mood for a chat, he only wanted to go home and get some sleep.

Stu understood his intentions and made his way to the swing doors of the hall. But before he could step outside, he heard Harvey's voice coming from behind him, "Stu…"

The man turned around and looked at Harvey's tired face, "Yes, Harvey?"

All Harvey wanted to tell him was to take care of Donna, just like she deserved. But those words didn't seem to want to reach his mouth any time soon. "Goodnight."

This time Harvey was the one who tried to get outside to where Ray was waiting for him, but he was stopped by the other man before he could have the chance to do so.

"I will, Harvey. I will" Stu replied to the question left unsaid.

He had always known Stu was a good and smart man.

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.

.

Once Harvey finally got outside of the building, he spotted Rachel and Donna coming out of the bar right in front of Ray's car.

Donna immediately met his gaze from across the road and, as soon as Rachel noticed the looks the pair was exchanging, she excused herself, telling Donna she was tired, and she was going to take a cab to go home.

Donna said goodbye to her friend and crossed the road, reaching where Harvey was standing in a matter of seconds.

"Hey, long day at work?" she asked, the tension between them still palpable.

"You could say that," he smiled at her, "Do you want a ride?"

Donna was hesitant at the beginning, but she was tired, and Ray's car would be way more comfortable than a cab. Also, deep down she knew she would enjoy spending some time with Harvey, no matter where their relationship stood at that point.

"I don't mind if I do," she said, before stepping into the car, followed by him.

Once again, they didn't exchange more than a couple of words during the ride, neither one of them daring to address the elephant in the room. When they ran out of things to say to each other and the silence fell in the car, Donna turned her head away to look out of the window, while Harvey kept looking straight in front of him.

When they got close to her apartment, Donna felt Harvey's hand moving on the seat, getting closer and closer to hers, until he was touching her. Their fingers were brushing against each other and Donna couldn't breathe anymore.

She turned her head to face Harvey, only to find his eyes filled with hurt and regret. Regret for not having been able to choose her from the beginning, to put her first, and love her the way she deserved to be loved.

Once Ray had pulled over, telling her they reached her destination, Donna opened the door and let herself out of the car, "Goodnight, Harvey."

And before Harvey could tell her anything, for the second time in two days, Donna closed the door on him.

On their unspoken truths. On their chances. On their something more.


	2. Chapter 2

On this rainy Tuesday, I'm back with the second chapter. I hope to light up your day a bit with this.

Forever thankful for the feedback I got on the first one, so don't forget to let me know what you think of this one too.

(This one is rated M for a slight smut)

Happy reading!

_**Chapter 2: Soulmates Aren't Always Lovers**_

Harvey had been working unceasingly the entire morning, trying to take his mind off the whole mess his relationship with Donna had become. That's why, when Mike had suggested they'd have lunch together, he accepted without hesitation.

Mike chose a small restaurant near the courtroom, since they had a case to present in the early afternoon. They settled for a quick salad and a beer.

"Thanks, Mike. I really needed this," Harvey said to his best friend while sipping on his cold drink.

"You're welcome, Harvey. I know you have a lot on your plate lately and I thought you could use a little break," Mike replied, while deciding whether it would be better to bring up the subject now or later.

Seeing Harvey was lost in his own thoughts, Mike figured there would never come the right time to face the matter. "Speaking of tough situations, how are things between you and Donna?"

Harvey froze for a second when he heard his friend say her name out loud, the memories of the night before still clear in his mind. "We are good, Mike. We're both adults and we can keep being…" he paused for a second, "being friends even if we no longer work together."

"Okay, okay," Mike pretended to believe Harvey's words, he knew he and Donna were just fooling themselves because they were too dumb to face their feelings. However, he needed to ask the question that had been on the tip of his tongue since the moment he got the news, "Harvey, I am sorry but I have to ask you this. Why did you start dating Paula in the first place if all it took you to break up with her was Donna's resignation?"

Harvey surely wasn't expecting such a question from Mike, and he found himself struggling while trying to come up with a satisfying answer. But he couldn't. "To be honest Mike, I don't even know. I guess I thought she might have been the one, but she wasn't."

"Because Donna is?" Mike immediately firedback at his friend.

Harvey didn't answer his question, he emptied his beer glass and started lookingout of the window instead. No words came out of his mouth but that was all Mike needed to hear, he had his answer.

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Mike and Harvey were on their way back to the firm to drop off some case files and leave for the night, ready to treat themselves after their huge victory in court. While they were waiting for the elevator, a very excited Stu appeared behind them.

"Mike, Harvey! It's great to see you!" he greeted them while giving both of them a pat on the back.

"Hey Stu!" Harvey and the puppy replied at the same time.

"Wow, you really are Batman and Robin, aren't you?" the man laughed, before advancing his proposal, "Look guys, I've had an amazing day and I heard you two royally kicked ass in court today, what do you say we have a drink in my office to celebrate?"

Mike and Harvey exchanged a look before answering, both aware that enjoying a drink on the 46th floor would mean running into her. But before Mike could say a word, Harvey spoke, "Yeah, why not. We could definitely use a drink right now."

"Good! I heard you like scotch, I have a great one upstairs," Stu told the man, purposefully avoiding adding who he had heard about Harvey's alcohol preferences from.

Ten minutes later, while the three men were enjoying their well-earned glass of scotch, Harvey heard the sound of high heels coming close to Stu's office door.

"I hadn't heard there was a Backstreet Boys reunion in here tonight," Donna joked as she leaned on the door.

"What can I say, we all had an incredible day and we deserved a little celebration," Stu replied as he kept scanning Donna from head to toe. A motion that didn't go unnoticed by Harvey.

"I'm glad to hear that. I was just heading home for the night so, enjoy the rest of yours, boys" She said as she made her way outside Stu's office, locking her gaze with Harvey for a mere second.

As soon as Donna was near the elevators, Stu cleared his throat and let out a small whistle, "Wow, that woman is something else. She's beautiful, bold, funny… and that dress, the way it hugs her body… I don't think I've ever seen anything sexier in my entire life" Mike didn't know if it was the alcohol that was making Stu say those things about Donna or if the man was really into her, all he knew was that the whole thing was rattling Harvey, a lot. And he had the confirmation of it five minutes later, when his boss excused himself, saying he was feeling tired and he was heading home.

"_Me and Donna are fine"_ my ass, the puppy told himself. And he knew exactly what he had to do to at least try andease the situation.

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Donna entered her apartment, exhausted by her day, ready to take a hot bath before going to bed and finally switch her mind off. Even though it had only lasted a second, she couldn't stop thinking about the soft look she and Harvey had exchanged before she left the office. The way his deep brown eyes had met her hazels. She felt shivers down her spine at the mere thought. An hour later, she was lying in her bed after a relaxing bath, but her mind was still stuck on Harvey.

Harvey had been lost in his thoughts the entire ride home, not being able to share a single word with Ray. Once he got inside his apartment, he decided to take a shower before heading to bed and finally calling it a day. He grabbed a towel and made his way to the bathroom, turning on the hot water and entering the shower. No matter how much he tried not to think about her, with every move he made, his mind was on Donna.

Donna felt herself growing hotter recalling the image of Harvey in Stu's office. He was sitting on the couch, his tie was off and his sleeves were rolled up. A look that had always turned her on. And tonight wasno exception.

While the water was rushing down his sculpted body, Harvey began thinking about the dress she wore that night. Burgundy, his favorite. The way it shaped her breasts, leaving little to the imagination. The slit that allowed her long legs to be exposed. She looked incredible and he was sure the memory of her figure wasn't going to let him sleep anytime soon.

Donna let her hand travel down her nightgown, lifting up the silk material so that her breasts were slightly exposed. She brushed upon her nipples, both hard on the memory of Harvey's hands discovering her entire body the last time he had been in her bed. She reached the waistband of her panties with her free hand, lifting her hips to push them down her legs. Her fingers found her entrance, wet and ready at the thought of him.

Harvey moved his arm to the wall of the shower before placing his head against it. He grabbed his erect length with his hand and started giving it a few strokes, remembering how he felt when Donna's tiny hands were pumping him twelve years before.

Donna teased her center for a couple of seconds before letting a finger sink deep inside her. Before she knew it, one finger had turned into two, and then three. She tried to feel as whole as he made her feel _the other time_, when he took her fully, invading her, yet completing her at the same time. She started pumping her fingers in and out, dreaming that Harvey was on top of her and her walls were clenching around his member. When she felt herself close to the edge, she started recalling the way she grabbed his shoulders when he was inside her, scratching his back while she was coming undone.

Harvey started increasing the speed, remembering the time he had taken her inside of that shower, the morning after their first and only night together. He pictured her back to him, his hands around her waist, reaching for her clit to pleasure her even more. He found a faster rhythm aided by images of a naked Donna, with her head thrown back on his shoulder, her wet red hair spread all over his back.

As the memories of his body helped Donna release, a loud moan escaped from her mouth, "Harvey…"

Harvey remembered how her legs trembled while he made her come undone and that was enough to drive him over the edge. With his head still placed in the crook of his arm, he let out a low groan as he whispered a soft "Donna…", right before letting go.

As much as life had always made it hard for them to be together, their bodies never stopped aching for each other.

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Mike entered his apartment and found Rachel cooking his special sauce in the kitchen. "Hey," he greeted her before placing a tender peck on her lips. The kitchen smelled like his beloved dinners with granny. Mike wished she could be there to see how far he had come. She would have loved his life with Rachel, for sure.

"You're home," Rachel mumbled while placing the spoon near Mike's mouth, letting him taste the outcome of her cooking session.

"Wow, this is great," he said before a teasing smirk appeared on his face, "But you taste better."

Rachel landed a soft pat on Mike's chest, "Look at you being a five year old," they both laughed and Rachel went on, asking her fiancé about his day. Mike made sure to keep her up to speed about the amazing win he and Harvey had had in court, ending his speech by telling her about the drinks in Stu's office and the comment the man made about Donna.

"I never thought Stu was into her," Rachel replied, shocked by the news. "Me neither," Mike started, "And Harvey was just as shocked as you are right now, that's for sure."

"What do you mean?" Rachel hadn't told Mike what she knew about Harvey and Donna yet, but she was curious to know Harvey's thoughts on the situation.

"Well, I'm sure you're aware of what's happening between our favorite fools," Mike replied with a smile, continuing when he got a nod in response from the brunette, "It's as clear as a blue sky that they have feelings for each other, they're just too scared to act on them."

"That's true…" Rachel hated that Donna had to go through all of that pain, but most of all she hated that her best friend had a shot of happiness right in front of her face and yet she couldn't find the courage to take it.

"I might have an idea to give them a little push," Mike said while grabbing Rachel's waist, bringing her closer to him. "I'm all ears," she replied as she placed her hands on his chest and her forehead against his.

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The next day, Rachel decided to pay a visit to her best friend once she was done with her work for the day.

"You got yourself one hell of an office, Ms. Paulsen," the brunette whistled as she made her way to Donna's couch.

"What can I say, it deserved me," Donna replied, getting up from her chair and rushing to hug her friend. "Not that I don't appreciate the surprise, but what are you doing here?"

"Well, I finished work early today and I just wanted to check up on you, you know, after the talk we had a couple of nights ago," Rachel was ready to let the plan begin.

"I'm fine Rach, really," the redhead said before sitting on the couch, next to her friend, "And work is keeping my mind busy. Stu has been amazing to me."

"I'm sure he has," Rachel mumbled to herself, but Donna heard her words. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," Rachel swiftly replied, not wanting to go deeper into the matter. She decided to shift Donna's attention on something else instead. "Mike told me you ran into each other last night."

"Oh yeah, he was having drinks with Stu and Harvey in Stu's office."

Since Donna had brought up his name, Rachel decided to seize the opportunity. "So you ran into Harvey too…"

"Yes, but you already knew that," Donna smiled as she tilted her head slightly to the left, letting her friend know she wasn't fooling anyone with her clueless attitude.

"I did… I just wanted to know if you and Harvey were okay…" Rachel began, "I mean, are you still friends?"

"Friends…" Donna chuckled.

"What?" Rachel replied, trying to encourage her friend to open up to her, knowing that was exactly what Donna needed at the moment.

Donna wet her lips before lifting up her gaze, meeting her best friend's eye with a tender look, yet full of ache. "How can you call _friend_ someone you've known since you were both barely grownups, someone who's been there for you through all of your victories, but also comforted you while you were facing painful and heartbreaking losses, someone who has watched you grow into the person you are today. Someone who has seen every shade of you, even the ones you usually prefer to keep to yourself, but when it came to him, you felt comfortable enough to show them because somehow, over the years, he has become a part of you too. Someone who has seen all of your flaws and didn't just accept them, he loved them…"

Donna paused for a second, overwhelmed by her own words, "No Rach, me and Harvey are not friends, we have never been. I guess I only pretended we were, because having him in my life as a friend was better than not being in each other's lives at all."

Rachel noticed Donna's eyes had become shiny in the process of ranting and her best friend was doing everything in her power not to burst into tears. The brunette placed her hand on Donna's cheek, wiping away the salty drops that she just couldn't hold back, "I love you Donna, you know that? I am here for you."

Donna smiled through her tears, thanking whoever decided to put Rachel in her path all those years ago. She still remembered their first interaction. _"You're weird. We'll be friends"_ Years later, they had only grown closer and Donna couldn't be happier for that.

"I know, Rach and I love you too."

Rachel moved her hand from her friend's cheek to her purse, taking out two tickets and showing them to Donna, "Great, because, just so you know, I plan to be there for you tonight. We're going clubbing."

Donna busted into a loud laugh, shaking her head in the process, "Clubbing? We're not twenty anymore, Rach."

The brunette got up from the couch and made her way towards Donna's office door, "I am not taking no for an answer," she started, "Or are you afraid you can't shake that gorgeous booty of yours anymore?"

"Clubbing it is, then" Donna surely wasn't a woman to back down from a challenge.

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As Donna was walking to the elevators, ready to meet Rachel in the lobby, she heard Stu calling her from his office, "Hey Donna, are you heading home?"

She turned around so that they were face to face, "No actually I'm-"

Stu cut her off before she could finish talking, "Okay this has been on my mind for a while and I don't seem to be able to find the right words to ask you this so I'm just gonna say it… do you want to have dinner with me? As a date."

Donna was shocked by his words. Stu was into her? How could she not notice it after all the years they had known each other? Well she knew why, her mind had always been focused on one man and one man only.

"Stu, I'm flattered but I can't tonight, I have plans with Rachel. But I'd love to another time," Donna answered, willing to take a chance on him.

"That sounds perfect, Donna. Have a great night," Stu replied with the biggest smile on his face. Man, he was really into her.

"Goodnight, Stu," she smiled at him while making her way inside the elevator, ready for her night out.

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Mike and Harvey had finished working earlier that night too, so they decided to reward themselves with a drink, outside of the firm this time. While they were sitting at the bar counter, sipping on their glasses of McCallan, Harvey noticed Mike was lookingaround and he was oddly quiet.

"What's going on, Mike?" Harvey asked, still puzzled byhis friend's attitude. "I was just thinking, this place looks dead. We should go somewhere livelier… we should go clubbing!"

Harvey laughed before emptying his glass, "Clubbing, Mike? what are we, twenty?"

Mike knew he had to come through for his part of the plan he and Rachel had created, and there was no better way to make Harvey Specter do something than challenging him to do it.

"What? Is the great Harvey Specter afraid that girls won't pay attention to his old self anymore?"

Harvey shook his head at his friend's defiance, ready to take him up on his offer, "Again Mike, when will you learn they all want a daddy?"

Harvey grabbed his jacket and before Mike knew it, he had got up from his chair and made his way towards the exit, "Now, let's go and I'll show you what being the best closer in the city really means."

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Donna and Rachel decided to take a couple of shots to get in the mood before hitting the dance floor. Eventually, a couple of drinks turned into more drinks. They were on their eighth shot when Rachel started feeling dizzy and suddenly, she wasn't able to stop the words from coming out of her mouth anymore, "God, I need sex."

Donna almost spit out her drink while laughing at how much her friend was already wasted. She had to admit she was feeling pretty drunk too.

"At least you can have sex once you get home," Donna joked, before placing her glass on the counter.

"Who says you can't? What's stopping you from getting your freak on tonight?" Rachel smirked at her best friend, knowing full well who - rather than what - was stopping her.

"You know what? You're right. Let's go show them what Harriet Specter and Michelle Ross can do" As the words left Donna's mouth, she grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her to the dance floor.

Harvey was already regretting agreeing to Mike's idea the moment they stepped foot inside the club. It had been years since he had been to a place like this and he surely, he hadn't missed the vibe.

Mike realized his friend wasn't having a good time and immediately tried to cheer him up, "So, what are you in the mood for tonight, blonde or brunette?"

Harvey's eyes grew wider as he spotted her. Her back was to him, her red hair floating around the place as she moved her hips to the song. He made a step closer to the dance floor before answering Mike's question, "Neither."

Mike understood exactly where Harvey was going and gave Rachel a wink, noticing she had spotted them as soon as they had entered the club.

Donna was dancing to the beat of the song, careless as ever, probably due to the alcohol that was streaming in her veins, when she felt a pair of hands landing on her waist. She froze at the contact, immediately recognizing the touch. It was him, she had no doubt. She placed her hands over his on her hips and kept moving her body with him, her mind focusing on not melting under his touch.

"_Baby, you my everything, you all I ever wanted."_

Donna pondered a lot before deciding whether to turn around to face him, well aware of where that could lead them. But then, the memories of last night came flashing back, the way she thought of him while pleasing herself. Her mind was screaming _don't,_ but her heart was yelling at her to turn around.

That's when their eyes finally met. Both burning under the desire to feel each other even more.

"_We could do it real big, bigger than you ever done it."_

Harvey gripped her waist tighter and brought her closer to him. Their faces were inches apart and her hands had landed on his chest, gripping his shirt. A moment passed and they both felt like the whole world had gone away. It was just them on that dance floor, holding onto each other.

"_You the best I ever had, best I ever had."_

Donna placed her forehead against Harvey's, never stopping dancing in the process. Their lips were almost touching, both of them preparing to taste each other again. To feel the flavor of their love once more. Harvey moved his hand from her hip to her cheek, their noses brushing against each other, Harvey and Donna both ready to reconnect.

"Harvey Specter?! Is that really you?" Donna heard the voice and immediately recognized it. No, it couldn't be her. Not now.

"Nadia? Wow it's been how long? Ten years?" Harvey replied to the woman, visibly pissed she had interrupted them. Nadia grabbed Harvey's hand and turned him to face her, so that his back was to Donna.

Donna had never liked the woman, and she had always made it very clear to Harvey when he was dating her - or screwing her - when they worked at the DA's. And once again, Nadia hadn't failed in being unlikable and rude.

Not willing to watch the scene, seeing Nadia flirting with Harvey was making her want to be sick, Donna excused herself with Rachel and told her she wasn't feeling well, and she was going home, blaming it all on the alcohol. But her best friend had watched the entire scene and knew exactly the reason why Donna had left.

As soon as Harvey had let himself out of Nadia's grip, he turned around, looking for Donna. "She's gone home, Harvey," Rachel told him, noticing his eyes roaming all over the club.

And just like that, their moment was gone.

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The next day, as Donna was walking down the halls of the 50th floor, after giving Rachel her wallet back since she had forgotten it in her purse the night before, she spotted him working in his office.

"Hey," Donna said, letting herself in.

"Hey," Harvey replied gently, still sensing the tension from the events of the night before. He gestured for her to come sit next to him on the couch and so she did.

They spent the following hour chatting about their lives and Donna's new job, before ending up talking about the stories from the time they were working at the DA's, purposefully avoiding the Nadia subject.

"You remember that time you punched that Simmons guy after he touched my ass at the office?" Donna laughed, deep down overwhelmed by how protective Harvey had always been towards her. "Of course I do," he smiled back at her, before shifting his gaze from her eyes, "I won't ever let anyone disrespect you Donna, not even for a second."

Their eyes were now locked again. She felt her chest grow tighter and it felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. She had to get out of there because she wouldn't be able to handle another one of their "almosts".

"I should go," Donna said as she got up from the couch. With her back to him and one foot already out of the door, she heard him, "Why?"

She immediately turned around, the memories of that night, three years before in her apartment, invading her mind. "Is this the moment when I should tell you that you know why?" she started, not able to hold back her feelings anymore, "Because we both know why, Harvey! But once again, you can't say it and that's not a surprise. I tried to forget about last night because we both know, if I had brought up the subject, you would have told me that there was nothing to admit about our moment, when we both know that's far from the truth. And I'm tired Harvey, so tired."

Once again, tears had found her eyes and all she wanted to do was run away from this place, from him.

"So Harvey, please, can we get over this?" Donna gestured between the two of them, "Can we just move on from these feelings? Because I can't do this anymore."

Harvey was shocked by her words and truly didn't know what to say. When Donna noticed that, once again, he wasn't going to give her an answer, she spoke for the both of them, "Okay, Harvey, from now on, we're friends, nothing _more,_" making her way out of his office as soon as the words left her mouth.

Donna had always believed that everyone had someone out there who was made for them, forever. And she had always thought her someone was Harvey. However, lately she had come to think that maybe her soulmate wasn't meant to be a lover. Because romances were bound to come and go, but there had always been one person by her side through the years, and no matter how many times Donna had put the blame on Harvey for his fears, she wouldn't bat an eye before sacrificing her heart in order not to lose him forever.

And apparently, the time had come.


	3. Chapter 3

Here's the last chapter friends, I hope you'll enjoy the ride! This story was shorter than my last one, but it still owns a piece of my heart.

As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support and the nice reviews, it means a lot to me.

And of course, don't forget to let me know what you think!

_**Chapter 3: The One**_

As soon as Donna stepped inside the building, she spotted Harvey talking to someone at the front desk in the lobby. He was smiling, he was flirting.

She felt her stomach clench at the mere sight, but her sickness got even worse when she realized who Harvey was talking to.

No, not her again.

Nadia was standing right in front of him, her hand was gently stroking Harvey's arm as she let out a small and clearly fake chuckle, pretending that his jokes were funny just__to please him.

Donna immediately increased her pace, storming inside the elevator, hoping work could help her forget the scene she just had to witness.

She knew it was her who told Harvey they could only be friends and she had no right to be bothered by him flirting with other women, yet it all had happened just last night. She was still hurting, she had feelings for him and moving on from that kind of love, even if it had been her own choice, couldn't be simple or quick.

And yet, Harvey seemed to be handling everything just fine. After all, it was Harvey Specter she was talking about, the most eligible bachelor in Manhattan, why had she thought he would stop hitting on women all of a sudden?

While Donna was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly saw a hand blocking the elevator doors from closing.

"Donna, hi!" Nadia's voice rang through her ears, she had always sounded so false when she spoke to Donna.

"Hey, Nadia" Donna simply replied, too tired to engage in some small talk with anyone, let alone with the woman who had been__flirting with Harvey five seconds earlier.

The elevator ride was filled with silence until the brunette dared to speak again.

"I didn't expect to run into you here, I guess you're still working with Harvey then?" she teased, well aware Donna wasn't anymore. She had pushed the 46th floor button while Nadia pressed the 50th.

"Actually, we don't work together anymore. I work with Stu Buzzini now," Donna replied annoyedly.

"Oh I see," the woman started, "Maybe now he'll finally be available," she said while trying to suppress a laugh.

Nadia was at the firm only to get Harvey's legal advice on a work matter, but she sure__wasn't going to tell that to Donna.

Donna turned around to face Nadia, "What's that supposed to mean?"

The elevator dinged and saved the woman from replying to the redhead, "Have a good day, Donna." 

Donna stepped outside of the elevator and, without even bothering to look at Nadia, she blurted out "You too" and made her way towards her office.

_Maybe he'll finally be available._ Nadia's words were still rattling her. It surely hadn't been Donna's fault if things between Nadia and Harvey hadn't worked out back then. What they had was a fling and Nadia's frivolous attitude was the reason Harvey ended it in the first place. At least, that's the reason why Donna always assumed things hadn't worked out, it's not like she and Harvey ever shared__stories about their love lives with each other. Maybe because the only love story they both really__wanted wasn't meant to be heard but to be lived together?

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Her workday had passed pretty quickly, she had drowned herself in paperwork in order to forget about the awkward and annoying conversation she had that morning.

It was around eight when Donna heard a soft knock on her office door. She lifted her head and found Stu leaning on her door, smiling.

"Hey" she gently greeted him.

"Hey, Donna," he replied, before clearing his throat, "I was thinking, since it's eight and I presume you haven't eaten yet…" he stopped for a second, feeling extremely flustered.

"I haven't" Donna replied, flashing him with a bright smile.

"I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight" Stu was finally able to ask her what had been on the tip of his tongue for the past few days.

Donna placed the pile of files she was reading on her desk and swiftly grabbed her purse, "You know what? I'd love to."

Stu smiled at her and, as soon as Donna had put her coat on, he intertwined his arm with hers and guided her towards the elevators.

They stepped inside together and as they began their ride to the lobby, Stu looked at her and asked her the only question she wasn't ready to answer, "Do you miss working at the firm?"

Stu was well aware that the firm wasn't what Donna was missing about the 50th floor, but neither her _**n**_or Stu dared to say his name out loud.

She bit her lip before answering, clearly suppressing the truth, "Not much, working here has been pretty great."

The man gave her a look full of admiration, taking in her full figure before speaking again, "You know Donna, anyone would be so lucky to have you, and the people who don't realize that aren't worthy of your talent," he turned a little, so that they were face to face, "They aren't worthy of you."

Donna swallowed at Stu's words, noticing he was taking a step towards her.

"Thank you, Stu" she said, smiling, as their feet were getting closer and closer.

Stu placed his hand on her arm, as there was now a mere inch between the pair. He wanted to see if Donna was going to stop him, but she didn't move. So, he moved his hand from her arm to her cheek, placing a strand of red hair behind her ear.

He got closer and Donna knew he was about to kiss her. And she let him kiss her.

Their kiss was soft and gentle, there was no rush in it, just kindness.

As soon as they parted, Donna roamed Stu's face and he didn't leave her gaze for a second.

They looked at each other for a moment, right before Donna crushed her lips against Stu's. This time, their kiss was passionate and eager. Stu's hands were travelling all over Donna's body, as hers__quickly ventured under his coat to undo his tie.

Things heated up quickly and Stu immediately found the hem of Donna's dress. As his lips collided against her neck, hitting all her favorite spots, a loud moan escaped Donna's mouth.

"Harvey…"

Her eyes opened wide as she realized whose name she had just screamed. Stu lifted his head and looked at Donna.

His face was showing hurt. Hurt because for a moment he thought he stood a chance with her. But the truth was, Donna's heart was already taken and no one could stand a chance against Harvey Specter in that.

Suddenly, the elevator dinged, signalling__they had arrived at the lobby. Before either one of them could say anything, the doors opened, only to reveal the last person she wanted to see at the moment behind them.

Harvey was there, and of course, he had figured it all out. Her hair was messy, Stu's tie was partially undone and, most of all, they were still inches apart from each other.

Donna looked at Stu, telling him how much she was sorry with her eyes. He just nodded at her and that's when she knew he had understood.

She shared a quick look with Harvey, whose face was more than shocked. He hadn't seen any of it coming. And it hurt more than he would imagine.

No words left her mouth before she rushed out of the elevator, without even saying goodbye, and reached the first cab out in the street. All she wanted to do was go home and forget any of that had ever happened.

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The next day, Donna reluctantly got to work early, hoping she could arrive at her office before either Stu or Harvey entered the building.

Waiting for the elevator to come, she was almost sure she had succeeded in her aim when she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her.

"Donna" Harvey softly called her as he got next to her, waiting for the elevator himself.

"Harvey" she quickly replied, her eyes fixated on the metal doors.

They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, both uncomfortable with the silence they created, but also aware saying anything out loud would make the situation ten times worse.

But after what he had witnessed the night before, Harvey couldn't help himself.

"What's going on with Stu?" he asked with a little hesitation.

"What do you mean?" Donna replied, still keeping her eyes locked on the wall in front of her.

"I saw you last night, Donna…" he paused for a second, "You kissed him."

Donna moved her gaze to the floor and took a deep breath. She wasn't ready to discuss the topic with anybody, let alone with Harvey.

She decided to quickly fire back at him, hoping he would just let go, "Nothing is going on."

"Donna…" Harvey knew she was lying.

In a second, Donna turned her head so that she was now facing him, "Why don't you tell me what's going on with Nadia instead?"

She was trying to shift the focus from what happened between her and Stu, but she was also showing how upset__she was at the same time.

Harvey let out a chuckle, making her rage grow even more, "Is this what it's all about? Are you-"

Donna cut him off immediately, "No, I am not, but it bothers me. And you, Harvey, should know the difference between these two things better than anyone else, shouldn't you?"

Harvey rolled his eyes and looked away from her, as Donna kept going, "Did you ask me about Stu because you are…" She was staring at him with a fake puzzled expression on her face, waiting for him to say something.

"Jealous, okay?! I said it!" Harvey yelled, throwing his arms in the air without letting his eyes leave hers, not for a second.

"Wow, it only took you twelve years to admit it" Donna laughed, showing very well she was still mad at him.

"And where's the good in saying it out loud, Donna? Since you've made pretty clear we're just friends now."

Seeing he was still visibly angry at her because of the events from two nights before, Donna tried to ease the situation, "Harvey, this is not how two__adults who care about each other move on."

Hearing her words, Harvey shifted his gaze back to her eyes, "As far as I'm concerned, two adult who care about each other don't move on at all, Donna."

"Well, it didn't seem to me that you had this much to say a couple of nights ago when I tried to talk to you" she fired back at him. Her cheeks had gone red because of the anger and disappointment she was feeling.

"That's because you left before I could speak!" A couple of tears had started streaming down Harvey's cheeks. He was crying.

"I gave you twelve years of opportunities to speak, Harvey, and you've always kept your goddamn mouth shut!"

Donna moved her hand to her left cheek, wiping away a tear of her own. She was now crying too.

Harvey let his head down and blurted some words out, without even thinking about whether they would do any good to their current situation, "Why did you kiss him?"

"You're unbelievable" Donna mumbled underneath her breath, before running inside the elevator and pushing the button as fast as she could. She let the doors close on Harvey, giving him a painful look, while all his face was showing was hurt and regret.

She had to run away from him, she didn't want him to see her that broken once again.

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Six hours into her workday, she heard footsteps entering her office. Donna didn't even need to look to figure out who had just entered her door.

"What are you doing here, Harvey?" she asked him in an upset tone.

"I know we're not in the best place right now but," Harvey stopped, taking a deep breath before speaking again, "I wanted to thank you."

Donna lifted her gaze, finally looking him in the eye, "For what?"

"For being you. I know I made a mess and all I've done lately wasn't fair to you, but I need to say this" he stepped closer to her desk, placing his hands on the chair in front of it.

"I've made so many mistakes in my life, but since you've been by my side, you've always made me want to be a better man. So, thank you, Donna. Thank you for showing up twelve years ago at that bar. I needed it. I needed you in my life."

"Harvey…" Donna tried to gather some words, still unable to reason after his speech, "I need you too."

She gasped and took a moment before addressing him again, "And I want you in my life, I really do… That's why I think this," she gestured between them, "shouldn't change."

Donna paused and bit her lip, unsure whether she should say what was on her mind or just let those feelings go.

But her heart knew, those feelings, unspoken or not, were bound to be a part of her forever. That's why, in the end, she decided to let it all out, "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Harvey immediately asked, ready to do anything to patch things up with her.

Donna took a deep breath before being able to speak again, "You said I didn't let you speak last night, well I'm giving you that chance now."

She shifted her head and immediately locked her gaze with Harvey's, "Just tell me I'm the one, Harvey. You don't have to tell your mom, or Mike, or anyone else. Just tell _me_."

Harvey was overwhelmed by her words and, suddenly, he felt his entire body shaking, "Donna, I…"

He couldn't move and, once again, he couldn't speak.

As Donna watched him paralyzed in front of her, a single tear left her eye.

"See? That's exactly what I was talking about," she said as she got up from her chair, exhausted, "I need something more."

And with those four words, she walked away from Harvey, leaving him alone with all the words he had left unsaid.

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.

Harvey had been thinking about his fall out with Donna the entire day, and that kept him from being focused on the meeting he was attending with Mike and Rachel regarding their long-time client, Ron Williamstown.

Luckily for him, the conversation ended quickly, but before Ron could leave his office, Mike asked him about his wife and how she was doing. They all knew she had been sick for a long time now.

"She passed away a couple of months ago," the man replied with sadness in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Ron. I had no idea" Mike told him, now wishing he hadn't asked the question in the first place.

But Ron proved himself quite__understanding right away, "It's okay, Mike. You couldn't have known."

Harvey entered the conversation, shattered by the news of Ron's wife, "How are you holding up?"

The man looked down for a moment before honestly answering Harvey's question, "I'm dealing with it…" he started, "You know, Grace__and I, we had been friends for twenty six years before I manned up and told her how I felt about her. I was always scared. Scared to ruin our relationship, scared to lose her. I could have never bared the thought of her walking out of my life. But you know what? The moment I told her I was madly in love with her, it turned out she felt exactly the same."

Both Mike and Rachel were smiling at Ron's story, holding__each other in a soft embrace.

"But a little after we got together, she got sick, and time hasn't been fair to us… we lost so many opportunities throughout the years and I can't help but think, if only I had found the courage to open up my heart to her before… now she's gone and I'm never getting those years with Grace back."

As Ron's words hit the room, Mike got closer to the man and gave him a small pat on his back, "I'm so sorry, Ron."

"Thank you, Mike. But remember this, when you have feelings for someone, real feelings, the kind of feelings that make you want to throw yourself in front of a train for your girl, don't give up on them. Because no matter what people tell you, they will never go away."

Mike immediately looked at Rachel smiling, remembering all the bumps they had to hit to get to being as happy as they were at the moment, "Trust me, I know."

Suddenly, Harvey got up from his chair, catching everyone's attention.

"What's wrong, Harvey?" Mike asked, worried.

"I'm so sorry, but I have to go," he said as he made his way outside of his office. "Where?"

"I just have to" Harvey replied, without even turning around to face Mike.

"I guess he's finally going to get his Grace" Ron said as he politely__said goodbye to Mike and Rachel.

.

.

.

Harvey rushed to the elevators, making his way to the lobby as quickly as he could. He knew she must be on her way home but he was hoping in his heart he could still catch her.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, he spotted her in the lobby, smiling at the concierge. She was beautiful and Harvey knew he couldn't waste any more time.

Before he could get to her, Donna exited the building, making her way through the street to get a cab. Harvey immediately followed suit, trying to get to her before she could go home.

But at six in the evening, the streets of New York were overcrowded and he couldn't spot her anymore.

"Donna!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him despite the loud noises of__Manhattan. But Donna couldn't hear him. He was losing her again, literally.

Harvey kept running through the stream of people in the street, searching for her. He was losing hope when he spotted a redhead a couple of feet away from him.

"Donna, stop!" he yelled, but once again, she couldn't hear him.

But now that he knew Donna was there, Harvey had no intention of letting her walk away from him, from them, anymore. He ran as fast as he could until he was finally able to grab her hand in the crowd.

As soon as they touched, Harvey pushed Donna towards him and, once they were face to face, he kissed her with all the passion, affection and love he had inside. With all the feelings he had left silent for twelve years.

He finally let his mouth speak, only this time not with words.

When they reluctantly parted, Donna placed her forehead against his, as she was out of breath after__the heart-stirring kiss Harvey had just given her.

Before she could speak, Harvey lifted her chin, so that he would be__able to look deep into her hazel eyes. He cupped her cheek and caressed it while he finally said it out loud, "Donna, you're the one."

A river of tears immediately filled Donna's eyes, as a huge smile appeared on Harvey's face.

"Took you long enough," she barely said before kissing his smile, tasting the flavor of their future and happiness, together.

One thing was for sure, Harvey wasn't going to wait twenty-six years to get his Donna, wasting__twelve years had been more than enough. That's why they were both sure that, in that moment, in the crowded streets of New York City, Harvey and Donna's more had finally begun.


End file.
